


The Patils Play the Lottery

by MiraMira



Series: Collected Harry Potter Drabbles [27]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bad Jokes, Divination, Gen, Humor, Money, Sisters, Wordcount: 100-500
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-06
Updated: 2011-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-26 23:53:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiraMira/pseuds/MiraMira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Parvati's Divination talent, Padma's get-rich-quick scheme can't fail.  There's just one little thing she needs to do first...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Patils Play the Lottery

**Author's Note:**

> Dug out of the Hogwarts_Elite Hogsmeade archives. This time, the bad joke was part of the contest prompt, so don't blame me. Entirely.

One day, Padma Patil goes to visit her twin sister, who is working on extra credit in the North Tower. "Parvati, you know how I've spent all my money for the term on books, and Mum and Dad won't give me any more allowance? Well, I've had a brilliant idea. Use your Divination abilities to come up with the winning numbers for the WWN weekly drawing, and I'll split the prize with you."

"Padma, that's not really what Divination is for," Parvati tells her.

But Padma is persistent, and Parvati wants to try out her new tarot deck anyway, so she gets out the minor arcana cards. They all come up as numbers, and Padma goes away satisfied.

A week passes, and Padma comes looking for Parvati again. "'Vati, I didn't win anything with those numbers you gave me. Can you try again?"

"That's strange," says Parvati. "Maybe I should try tea leaves this time."

So Parvati brews a pot of tea, and lo and behold, when Padma drinks, all of the remaining grounds resemble numbers. She thanks her sister and leaves.

But one week later, she returns, downcast. "It didn't work, 'Vati."

Parvati looks dumbfounded, but not discouraged. "We'll use my crystal ball this time. That never fails."

She takes it down from the shelf, then peers into it for a long time before reciting the numbers as though in a trance. Padma doesn't even wait for her to come to before hurrying off.

When Padma comes back the next week, Parvati is examining a star chart. "No luck?" she asks.

Padma shakes her head.

Parvati looks up at her sister and sighs. "Padma, help me out here. This time, buy a ticket."


End file.
